杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis prayed the traditional Marian prayer of the Angelus on Sunday, and reflected on Jesus鈥� invitation for Christians to follow Him in the midst of sacrifice and trials.

In the day鈥檚 Gospel (Mt 10, 37-42), Jesus clearly lays out the demands involved in being His disciple.

Love for Jesus leads to love for family

鈥淭he first demanding request that He addresses to those who follow Him,鈥� said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渋s that of putting love for Him above family affection.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 added that Jesus is not seeking to undervalue love for parents and children.

Rather, he said, Jesus 鈥渒nows that family bonds, if put in first place, can deviate from the true good.鈥�

We all experience this, said the 杏MAP导航, for example when family affections lead us to make choices that are contrary to the Gospel.

鈥淲hen, instead, love toward parents and children is inspired and purified by love for the Lord,鈥� he said, 鈥渋t then becomes totally fruitful and produces fruit for the good of the family itself as well as beyond it.鈥�

He said that truly loving Jesus requires us to truly love our parents and children. However, if we put family interests first, 鈥渢his always carries us along the wrong path.鈥�

Carrying our cross

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to reflect on Jesus鈥� invitation to take up our own cross and follow Him.

The 杏MAP导航 said it is the very path that Jesus Himself trod, and recalled that there are no shortcuts along it.

鈥淭here is no true love without the cross, that is, without a personal price to pay,鈥� he said.

However, we should remember that we never carry our cross alone, since Jesus is always there to support us in our trials, 鈥渢o give us strength and courage.鈥�

鈥淣or is it necessary,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渢o get agitated to preserve one鈥檚 own life through fearful or egotistical behavior.鈥�

Fullness found in self-sacrifice

Jesus, he said, then proposes the Gospel paradox: 鈥淲hoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said history has provided us with many examples that Jesus鈥� words are true.

鈥淭here are so many people in these days who carry crosses to help others,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey sacrifice themselves to help others who are in need during this pandemic. With Jesus, we can do anything.鈥�

鈥淭he fullness of life and joy is found by giving oneself for the Gospel and for others, through openness, welcoming and goodness.鈥�

With gratitude and generosity

Giving our lives in order to help others, by giving them a drink of cold water, for example, he said, leads us to experience God鈥檚 generosity and gratitude.

The 杏MAP导航 then recounted a story he recently heard from a priest who was moved by the generosity of a child. The child approached him and said, "Father this is my savings. It's just a little. It's for those who are in need today because of the pandemic." 杏MAP导航 Francis then concluded, "It's something small, but something big."

鈥淚t is a contagious gratitude that helps every one of us to be grateful toward those who take care of our needs,鈥� he said.

Gratitude, said the 杏MAP导航, is both a sign of good manners and a key characteristic of a Christian.

鈥淚t is a simple but genuine sign of the kingdom of God,鈥� he said, 鈥渨hich is the kingdom of gratuitous and grateful love.鈥�

Following Our Lady鈥檚 example

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to help us as we carry our crosses in Jesus鈥� footsteps.

May she 鈥渉elp us to always put ourselves before God with willing hearts, allowing His Word to judge our behavior and our choices.鈥�